Last



Jan. 19, 1932. A. HAMELIN 1,842,265

LAST

Filed Dec. 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 7716 nve tor Attorney Jan. 19, 1932. A. HAMEILIN 1,842,265

LAST

Filed Dec. 31, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor Patented Jan. 19, 1932 "s s r i es-r in l i r a lication fileaiiemter a1, 1930. Serial No.505,947.

I The present invention relates to improvements in shoe lasts and has particular reference to that type of last embodying two or more adjustable sections. a a V A primary object of the invention is the provision of a shoe last of the above character embodying means for normally urging the connected last sections to an out of alignment position. a V

A further object of the invention is the provision of a shoe last of the above type having means for releasably locking the last sections in aligned working relation.

Another object of the invention is the pro 17513 vison of means for slidably connecting the component sections of the last in such manner as to permit rapid and convenient adj ustment to a working or out of alignment position. a a l provision of a sectional last constructed so that the complementary sections will accurately maintain there relative positions.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a last of the above type which will he durable in construction and which can be manufactured at a relatively low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a. part of this specification and in which like reference characters are employed to desiga nate corresponding parts. throughout the same: i 1

' Figure 1 is a perspective view of the improved last construction, a

Figure 2 is a side elevational view showin 1 the last disposed in a shoe and arranged in working position,

-. Figure 3 is side elevational view partly in section showing the respective last sections in outo't alignment arrangement,

Figure 4 is a similar view illustrating the interior construction of the connecting means, i v

Figure 5 is a fragmentary side elevational View partly in section showing the respective last sections in aligned arrangement,

Still another object of the invention the Figure 6 is an enlarged vertical section through the last connecting means, and

Figure? is a transverse section taken on the line Z'? of Figureti. I Referring to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1O designates in its entirety a last adapted to be employed in the manufacture of boots and shoes, in the present instance divided on an inclined transverse, plane to torin a toresection 11 and, a heel section 12. Theinclined meeting tacos of the sections 11 and 12 are provided with vertical centrally disposed grooves design-ed to accommodate therein the joining or connecting mechanism. Securedin the groove formed in the rear inclined face of the fore section 11 is, an elongated slide V bracket 1% of substantially U-shaped form in cross section. The web of-the bracket 14 is rigidly fastened in the groove and is provided with an upper extension overlying the top face of the sections, as indicated at 15. The side flanges of the. bracket are bent toward one another, as in. dicated at 16, so as to assume a converging relationtoward the outer edges[ it. complemen ary bracket 1? of similar construction secured in thegroove formed in "tilGdllCllIlBtl face of the heel section 12, the outer edgesof the opposed flanges or" the twohracke being adapted to assume spaced parallel relation. Secured in the'lower portion of vthe bracket slide block 19 of elongated form having V-shaped grooves formed in the opposed side tacesjso as to form, in cross section,a structure having diminishing taper toward the centre, f By thus construc ingthe slide block 15),the opposed portions are provided with, aneutwardly taper disposed to snugly and ably engagethe slide brackets of each ,bottoinportion of the bracket 14 by means of inner end faces of the blocks 19 and 21 are coiled compression springs 24 tending to normally urge the last sections to offset positions out of working alignment. 7 I

The last sections may, however, be locked in working relation by means of adjustable locking mechanism embodying a latch bar 26 slidably disposed upon the upper face of the fore section 11 and slidable horizontally thereon. V The forward end of the bar carries a lip 27 for convenient adjustment thereof, while the rear end is en gageable with a notch 28 formed in the upper portion of the block 21.

In use, prior to the insertion of the last into a shoe, the latch bar 26 is manually actuated to a forwardly extended retractedposition, disengaging the notchin the upper block 21 and permitting the coiled springs 24 to slide the fore and heel sections of the last to offset positions out of working alignment. When thusarranged, the last may be quickly and. conveniently inserted into the shoe. hen the fore part is properly placed in the shoe upper, the heelsection 12. is depressed into its proper relative aligned arrangement. The latch is then slid forwardly so that the rear extremity enters the recess 28 of the upper slide block and locks the sections in working position.

To remove the last from the shoe, the lathe is again retracted and the heel section auto mat-ically elevated at a forwardly inclined angle so that the fore part may be conveniently removed from the shoe.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown and described, is'to be taken as a preferred example of the same, and that various changes as to the shape, size, and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the subjoined claims.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In a last, a pair of complementary transversely divided sections, a pair of complementary slide brackets secured to the adjacent faces of the sections, means in the brackets slidably connecting the sections together, spring means normally urgingthe sections to positions offset from the normal working arrangement thereof, and an adjustable locking member operable to lock the sections in aligned working positions.

2. In a last including a pair of transversely divided sections, a pair of complementary slide brackets attached to the adjacent faces of the respective sections, slide blocks connected to the said brackets, and spring means disposed between the blocks adapted to resilmy hand.v

A'LBAN HAMELIN. 

